CHAPTER Fifty Three
Rex was away more than he was at base now and always there was part of her missing when he left. Sometimes it was a mission with the Ghost and other times it was with the Pathfinders. Then there were the other ones, the ones he did not speak about but she thought they were for someone called Draven. He was always very quiet after those and sometimes the nightmares came back, like last night.
"Rex let me go, please." He was on top of her, and not in a good way. His eyes were closed as he pinned her down by the biceps and was muttering something in Mando'a. It didn't sound like an endearment but she still wasn't fluent in that language. Sabine was teaching her bits in their down time. She was a good girl, Ana enjoyed her company, what little she saw of her. She would have liked to get to know all of the ghost crew better but it was difficult. She recognised the words but couldn't put a meaning to the way they were organised. Finally she blew on his face in exasperation, his eyes flickered open and he pulled away from her, realising what he was doing.
As he became more aware, he flung himself off the bunk, grabbed some clothes and left the room before Ana could even draw breath to stop him; she always worried more about him when he was like this. Gathering her own clothes and dressing, she headed out after him. The base was dark, clouds obscuring what light came from the stars, spotlights lit the main areas, with shadows throwing unfamiliar shapes on the ground; it was uncharacteristically quiet, with a few missions out but nothing major and Rex had returned a couple of days ago. She knew there was something different about him; this last one had really disturbed him.
Ana walked to the perimeter of the base, where the machines kept the spiders away, this was his favourite spot; she could see Rex standing there, just watching as one of the animals observed him and his actions. It was as if each were checking the other out, deciding their motives, weaknesses and strengths. She slid her arm through his, just as she had, when she first came here months ago, time was moving fast.
"Bad one this time." She commented, as she joined him.
He took a deep breath and exhaled, not really a sigh, but near enough. "Yes….it was."
"Any particular reason." She knew it was bad when she had to prompt him to talk about it.
He was silent for several seconds before he replied "This last mission, reminded me of a brother I lost and then found again….but not until after unspeakable things had been done to him by the Seperatists." He didn't elaborate with the details. "What happened to him….the Empire are still doing it now. They never learn but we stopped them then and we stopped them now."
"Do you want to talk about it?" She always offered, sometimes he said yes and other times, he refused. Sometimes he just had to work through it in his head; tonight looked to be one of those times.
"You always seem to be worse when you've been on a mission for Draven."
"Hmm." A shrug accompanied the non committal sound; he really didn't want to talk about this one.
She shivered, as the chilly breeze blew across the open land.
"You go back to bed," it was the first time he had suggested that in a long time; since Seelos in fact.
"Not unless you come with me."
"Stubborn fem."
"Yep." She agreed.
"Ten standard minutes and I'll be back."
"I'll time you." Replied Ana playfully, placing a kiss on his cheek.
"I know you will."
She gave him a lazy salute, as she headed back to their room.
.
"Eleven minutes." She said, as Rex climbed back into bed. He didn't answer, he usually had something to come back at her with. She waited but still no reply; if he didn't reply he usually plastered himself to her but tonight nothing.
"Rex, are you sure you're ok?" She turned over to find his back facing her; it had been a long time since he had done that. It was usually something she did, when she was angry with him for something that he had done that inexplicably irritated her; it never lasted long, as he usually was able to pull her out of it. This time, he never replied to her, so she slid her hand through his arm and around to his stomach; that usually got his interest.
"Rex?"
"Not now." The reply was final, he obviously needed to process further, whatever had happened.
"Okay." She kissed his back and turned over trying to sleep, but it would not come easily. The snatches that she had were fitful and she tried not to disturb him; if he was even asleep himself.
.
Maya was good company at the moment and Ana needed it this morning, as she yawned, whilst Maya was chattering away; she enjoyed their conversations, she also liked listening to her, except when she spoke about the 'mole' as Maya put it. Ana could not accept that there was a mole on the base.
"So, tell me how you met Rex again?" Maya had started to show an interest in anything to do with Rex, Ana wasn't sure why. They were restocking the Medbay, the Ghost had acquired some much needed medical supplies, and Maya started asking questions again; Ana was not sure what had set her off this time.
"I told you, He crashed his speeder and got attacked by an animal, near to where I lived."
"I can't image any animal getting the better of Rex; what kind?"
"A Nexu."
"Nexu?"
"Yes, a sort of large…." Ana thought how best to describe them "Tooka but with four eyes, quills on their backs. Long forked tails. The ones on Seelos had poison filled claws. Ugh!"
Ana shivered from the memory of the results on Rex of that attack, how close she came to losing him, before she even knew him. She never regretted her action even when he left. Maya wanted the specific details.
"What next?"
"The Nexu attacked him and was dragging him away when I got there. I shot it and then managed to get him back to my house and.."
"You have a house on Seelos?"
"Yes. Didn't I say?"
"No." Maya seemed a little put out by the revelation but Ana waited for the next question because, in her experience, there was always another one with Maya. "You shot it?"
"Yes. It was quite close so not a difficult shot."
"Who taught you?"
"My Father. He insisted I know how to shoot to defend myself."
"So why aren't you fighting?"
It was a good question. At one time she would have said it wasn't in her nature to kill but she had actually killed someone. It wasn't easy and she still had nightmares about it but…"l'm a better medic than fighter."
"Could you teach me?"
"Not with a blaster, I used a Verp." Maya looked puzzled, "it's a slugthrower. And I don't think you ought to be taught that."
"Aww. Go on."
"No but I can teach you more about treating wounds than causing them."
Maya's face took on a sulky expression that Ana had never seen before. "I need to be able to shoot properly."
"I'm not teaching you." Ana was adamant that she would not do that, even as she saw Maya's chin jut out in defiance and expected a further argument.
"Tell me more about Rex on Seelos." The expression had not quite gone, but the voice had lost its defiant note.
"Rex was mauled badly by the Nexu, so I had to treat his wounds and he stayed with me, to recuperate; if I hadn't done the nurses training he probably would had died or been disabled."
Maya looked thoughtful at that.
"Why don't you live there now?"
"It's a long story."
They moved over to the storage cabinets and filled them up, ready for use; the medical supplies were much needed.
"You came here after Rex didn't you?"
Ana smiled as she said, "Yes, he needed me and I wanted to be with him."
Maya thought this revelation over, whilst she sorted the Bacta bandages. "But he didn't want you here, did he, because you argued and he went away; and when he came back you argued again." It seemed Maya knew a great deal more than she originally claimed; Ana wondered how much she did know about her and Rex.
"We did but we've worked it out now." Ana hoped that would keep her quiet for a little while, this questioning was getting as probing as Sasha's, who had disappeared with the Commander again.
"Good." Declared a Maya, "I don't like it when people I like argue." This intrigued Ana, so she had to ask, "I didn't know you knew Rex?"
"I help him with loading his equipment sometimes, when he's going on a mission and he tells me things."
"What things?"
"Oh, things about fighting and strategy."
It still upset Ana that younglings we're fighting this war; she would have to talk to Rex and try and discourage him from being so 'helpful' to them.
"He's so interesting; he knows loads of useful stuff and he's really helpful. Even if he's old." Maya gushed, about Rex.
"He's thirty standard years." Ana stated softly.
Maya's head shot up and she stared at Ana; "he can't be." Replied Maya, the disbelief dictating her tone. "But he looks…"
"Rex and the other clones like him, were bred on a planet called Kamino, and in order for them to be ready for the Clone Wars, they were artificially aged. They age twice as fast as you and me."
Ana stuffed some Bacta bandages in a box with a little more force than she needed and several of them split. "Fek!" She muttered, she should not have taken it out on the bandages.
"So that means, he'll die a lot earlier than you" Maya was completing the calculations aloud, and then saw Ana's face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." Maya added.
"It's Okay. We accepted that a while ago."
They continued with the restocking in silence.
.
"Rex." He was heading towards the training session he had arranged with Ezra, when he heard his name shouted. He turned to check who was calling him as it was not a voice he readily recognised.
"Maya." He saw immediately it was the young woman that Ana had befriended."How can I help you?" He enquired, his normal polite self.
"You're the best, I want you to teach me how to shoot, properly."
Rex stood hands on hips, looking at the young woman standing in front of him, who was looking up to him and waiting for his answer. "Well, you're in luck. I'm just going to a training session with Ezra, care to join us?"
"The Jedi?"
"He's a Padawan, sort of a trainee Jedi."
She looked a little disappointed but then perked up and said, "Yes. Do I need to bring anything?"
"Just yourself"
She positively bounced up and down at his reply; it brought a smile to his face, to see the enthusiasm.
Ezra and Maya's training went well although, Ezra seemed a little put out that he did not have a Rex all to himself and then there was an added distraction of a good looking female of Ezra's age, who after a few minutes was impressed with his expertise and looked up to him for guidance. Rex had not thought of this complication, although it seemed to make Ezra push himself a little more and not rest on his laurels.
Rex watched, as they left the training area together, heading for the Mess hall; part of him smiled and he agreed with Ana that younglings really should not be fighting but they had put themselves forward, as he and Ana had done and now he would whatever he could to give them the best chance of survival.
Heading off to his next meeting scheduled with Sato, he thought he knew what it was about and he was worried now for his old friend Saw; there had been no reply from him and his team for the last few attempts and they had lost all contact with them. It was worrying.
.
Ana finally left the Medbay, a team had come back with some casualties but nothing she couldn't handle together with the medical droid. Rex was in a meeting so, she headed for the mess hall.
There was the ever present hum of voices as she entered the mess hall and headed towards the serving hatches; she was just too tired to prepare anything tonight but then she heard the voice and laughter of someone she knew, Maya. She turned towards the voice and saw two teenagers, who could have been anywhere in the galaxy, anywhere other than a war zone and it lifted her heart. It was good to see that the Empire and Rebellion wasn't destroying all normal life's needs and wants but she and Rex were also an example of that. She debated on joining them but chose instead to collect her food and sit at a table on her own; she watched closely as their heads moved nearer and nearer and both were laughing. Yes, it was good to see them together, although she hadn't had much to do with Ezra, Rex always spoke highly of him. He appeared to be a serious young man but given his background she was not surprised; she briefly wondered how they met, as Ezra was normally training with Kanan or Rex, or on missions. That thought disappeared as she swallowed the ration pack which tasted more like prairie grass on a bad day than the greens, noodles and cheese it was supposed to be. She took a gulp of coffee to wash it down; it didn't make it any better but it filled the hole and at least her stomach rumbling would not keep her awake. The two were still chattering away, when she left having finished her meal.
By the time she reached their quarters, Rex was right behind her and grabbed her in a bear hug.
"Missed you."
"We've only been apart a few hours." She chuckled.
"Last night."
"Hmm."
"Forgiven?"
"Nothing to forgive….. have you eaten?"
"Grabbed a couple of ration packs, so I'm good."
"Good, I am so tired."
.
For a woman who was tired, she perked up enough, when angry thought Rex.
"I only agreed to teach her to use a blaster better, so she can protect herself…..and she's pretty good with it. She joined me and Ezra on his training session, made Ezra pick up his game a bit as well, with some competition."
"Rex, you know how I feel about young ones fighting."
"Maya needs to be able to defend herself and any others who are with her; she came here to fight and nothing we do will stop her, at least she will have a better chance."
Ana started to say something then backed down, "I know you're right Rex but it doesn't mean I have to like it."
He stroked her face, "I know." And pulled her to him, he didn't want to argue during this precious time together but realised that sometimes Ana was hitting out at him because the ones she really wanted to hit were too far away for anything like that.
"Saw and his team are missing."
The pale green eyes fixed on him searching for a reaction. "I'm sorry. You've heard nothing at all?"
"Nothing, we're going to have to go look for him."
"Ghost crew?"
"Yeah."
"When?"
"Tomorrow; they don't know yet."
He felt Ana's arms tighten around him the argument forgotten.
He blew softly on her neck and received a small chuckle in response, taking in her unique smell he was transported back to Seelos and their time together there. She responded by running her nails down his back and he couldn't stop the low growl that came from his throat.
Ana always had this effect on him and his feelings were undeniably deeper, the longer they were together.
He could no longer imagine a galaxy where she was not a part of his life, his reason for being and he didn't want to. They knew each other more intimately with each passing day and Rex found this knowledge both frightening and exhilarating, but it fed the way he dealt with his relationship with Ana, like any good man.
He returned to his present task, the rebellion forgotten, as he concentrated on pleasuring Ana.
.
Maya was almost certain now; when she had first seen the clones and how old they were, she thought she had been wrong. The information given her had been wrong but just after the end of the clone wars, they would have been much younger men, especially after Ana had explained about the accelerated ageing.
But even that was unfair, to everyone concerned.
Using that information and snippets she had heard from the clones, she calculated their ages from that and at the end of the Clone War he would have looked in his mid twenties.
She had a good idea who her Father was now.
